T'au Empire
"Let none doubt that the Tau Empire will bring unity to all – let none doubt that now is our time. Forward, for the Greater Good!"
| |
| Symbol of the T'au Empire | |
| Capital: | T'au |
| Official languages: | T'au Lexicon |
| Major Species: | T'au, Kroot, Vespid[23] |
| Minor Species: | Anthrazods[23], Boaburi, Brachyura, Charpactin, Demiurg, Formosians, Galgs, Greet, Hrenian, Human (Gue'vesa)[23], Jagordian, Ji'atrix, M'uh'ja, Nagi[23], Nicassar[23], Phosiab[23], Pohu-Agg, Ranghon, Tarellian, Vorgh[23], Yabi-Yabi |
| Type of Government: | Ethereal-dominated Oligarchy |
| Head of State: | Ethereal Supreme (Currently Aun'va) |
| Governing body: | Ethereal Council |
| State religion(s): | Greater Good (Tau'va) |
| Military Forces: | Fire Warriors (Fire Caste) Kor'vattra (T'au Navy, Air Caste) T'au Merchant Fleet (Air Caste) T'au Auxiliaries |
| Internal Security Forces: | Information Awareness |
The T’au Empire (or Tau Empire)[1] is a rapidly expanding xenos empire, sometimes referred to as a Commonwealth by its own citizens, situated inside of the Ultima Segmentum, near the Eastern Fringe. Founded by the Ethereals, who lead the T'au Empire in the name of the Greater Good. Several alien races (Kroot, Vespid, among others) have allied themselves with the T'au.[1]
The T'au Empire borders the Imperium and lies within reach of the Astronomican. It has suffered many raids from the Orks, and also seems to lie in the path of several splinter fleets of Hive Fleet Kraken.[3]
History
Founding
In T'au prehistory, they lived in tribes on the desert plains, hunting and gathering their food. As their race aged, they expanded to all environments of their home world, T'au, adapting to each new environment. The T'au of the plains became strong and skilful hunters, larger and stronger than most other T'au. The T'au of the mountains developed the ability to soar high above the baking deserts on thermals. The T'au of the river valleys developed agriculture and metallurgy, forming the first true settlements. The development of settlements led to the need of trade, and wandering T'au began to negotiate and mediate between the disparate tribes. During the 35th Millennium, an Adeptus Mechanicus Explorator fleet Land's Vision, discovered the T'au homeworld and determined that its population were a primitive people at the Stone Age level of development who had mastered the use of primitive weapons and fire. Before the planet could be cleansed and colonised by the Imperium, however, a violent Warp Storm erupted around the planet. This continued for 6,000 years, making the T'au's homeworld utterly inaccessible.[10a]
T'au technological advancement proceeded at an unusually rapid rate for a newly emergent race. The T'au of the river valleys developed the first fortresses and crude black powder weapons to ward off the aggressive T'au of the plains. During this time inter-tribal conflict escalated. These fledgling skirmishes led to the darkest period in T'au history, the Mont'au, during the end of the 37th Millennium. The numerous wars that broke out lasted for years. Each year, thousands died, squalid conditions and lack of access to fresh food and water creating a plague that killed more T'au than the fighting itself. The T'au were on the verge of wiping themselves out.[10a]
During this time, T'au legends tell of the first appearance of Ethereals at Fio'taun. The T'au builder fortress city of Fio'taun was under siege by an alliance of warriors from the plains and air T'au. Though negotiation had been attempted, the fierce plain warriors would settle for nothing less than the annihilation of Fio'taun. For five long years the inhabitants held off the savage assaults with their thick walls and plentiful cannon. However, disease and starvation began to take their toll. As the tide of the siege turned, two mysterious T'au appeared. One made his way into the camp of the plains T'au, exuding a quiet authority that no T'au was able to resist. Soon, the leader of the plain warriors was persuaded to parlay with the T'au of Fio'taun. Similarly, the other mysterious T'au made his way deep into the fortress. Within a few short hours, the gates stood wide open, and the T'au stood ready to talk.[10a]
The Ethereals spoke of the importance of peace and understanding between all T'au. They described a Greater Good that each T'au must strive towards. The besiegers and the besieged quickly agreed with the Ethereals and a truce was reached. Across T'au, Ethereals emerged, each with the same quiet authority and message of harmony and cooperation. With the T'au united, the T'au Empire was founded.[10a]
Expansion and conflict
Over the next thousand years the T'au Empire experienced an unprecedented period of scientific discovery and philosophical advancement. The T'au Empire continued to expand its border at a fast rate through a series of Expansion Phases known to the T'au as "Spheres". These phases are a period of several T'au military campaigns during which nearby worlds are colonised, conquered, or sometimes peacefully persuaded to join the Greater Good. Therefore, apart from the star systems of the T'au, which are called Septs, the empire also incorporated worlds and star systems belonging to the Kroot, Vespid, and the Nicassar, who were the first race to join the empire and survive (as plague wiped out the Poctroon).[10f] The Demiurg, a Prospect of the Leagues of Votann, have also joined with the T'au and shared with them the secrets of Ion technology.[21] The empire is composed of at least twenty fully developed septs, but its full extent is unknown.[10a]
When the T'au encounter a new alien species, the Ethereals direct each of the Castes to perform a designated role to bring them into the fold. The world is first scanned by the Air Caste and those classified as desirable are investigated further; if a sentient alien race is discovered the Water Caste sends ambassadors to make trade deals, defense pacts, and offer advanced technologies built for them by the Earth Caste. The empire is patient and this process of negotiation may last months, years or even decades.[14a] However, should all these efforts fail to persuade the planet to join with them in the Greater Good, it will fall to the Fire Caste to forcibly absorb the world into the T'au Empire. Only the stubborn and warlike Orks have been denied the offer to join the Greater Good, for the T'au abandoned their futile attempts to absorb the Orks after many battles convinced the Ethereals that bargaining with them was impossible.[10a]
The T'au made first contact with Humanity shortly after the Second Sphere of Expansion in the form of free captains, pirates and lost colonies. They had regressed so far that they knew not of the outside galaxy. These planets were eventually peacefully assimilated or forcibly subdued, but it took the Water Caste time to realise that these worlds were just the outer fringes of an unimaginably vast interstellar empire, the Imperium of Man. However, thanks to the wisdom of Aun'va, the Fire Caste calls for war with mankind were averted and the T'au embarked on a subtle campaign of trade and diplomacy with Planetary Governors to absorb further human worlds. The Imperium's response to these activities was slow, but when it did come, it was characteristically brutal and the first wars between the Imperium and T'au Empire began.[10b]
Through the expertise of the T'au's Earth Caste, lifeless and toxic rocks have been transformed into thriving colonies and even artificial planets, orbital docks and relay stations light the empty space between the stars.[14a]
Damocles Crusade
The Damocles Crusade was the first major military conflict fought between the Imperium of Man and the T'au Empire. Members of the T'au Water Caste had established trade agreements with Imperial worlds on the frontier of the Empire, near the Damocles Gulf region of the Ultima Segmentum, and exchanges of goods and technology were common. Alarmed by the threat of alien contamination, the Administratum readied a suitable response and almost a century later, the Damocles Crusade invaded T'au space, destroying several outlying settlements and pushing deep into the T'au Empire. When the Imperial fleet reached the T'au Sept world of Dal'yth; however, the Crusade ground to a bloody stalemate as the formidable numbers and high technology of the T'au and their Kroot allies thwarted every attempt to capture the world or its star system. Many months of terrible fighting ensued with nothing gained on either side. By late 742.M41 the Crusade's commanders eventually agreed to requests from the T'au Water Caste for peace talks. The negotiations were successful and the Imperial fleet withdrew from T'au space unmolested, primarily due to the impending approach of the Tyranid Hive Fleet Behemoth.[26]
A known splinter faction of the T'au Empire are the Farsight Enclaves. Also, more recently some worlds and star systems of the Imperium have been conquered by the T'au forces, while a handful have seceded and pledged their allegiance to the T'au empire.[10l]
Farsight Expedition
The Farsight Expedition was launched shortly after the Damocles Crusade. Under the command of Farsight, the T'au forces engaged Orks along an asteroid belt before Farsight mysteriously vanished with his Fire Warriors. After the campaign, Farsight eventually continued his advance despite orders, encountering an unknown enemy at Arthas Moloch and thereafter establishing the Farsight Enclaves.[10c]
Hive Fleet Gorgon
The T'au Empire was invaded by Hive Fleet Gorgon in 899.M41. Gorgon was exceptional for its ability to quickly adapt on a biological level to new circumstances of battle, such as evolving immunities to T'au weaponry. This rapid pace of adaptation may have been unique to Gorgon, or it may have been a response to conflict with the T'au, who are also highly adaptable but on a technological level. The combined forces of the T'au and the Imperial Guard destroyed Gorgon in 903.M41, albeit after losing several trading partners and colony worlds.[3]
Great War of Confederation
The Great War of Confederation began after the Farsight Expedition in 975.M41 and was a war of survival for the T'au. Faced with an enormous Ork invasion fleet, only the leadership of Aun'va and Commander Shadowsun led to T'au victory, paving way for the Third Sphere of Expansion.[10d]
Further Expansion
Beginning after the Empire had united against the Orks in the Great War of Confederation, in 997.M41 Aun'va declared a beginning to the Third Sphere of Expansion, which drove deep into Imperial territory and saw the Imperium crushed at the Battle of Mu'gulath Bay.[10e]
At some point, the T'au sent an expeditionary force to the planet Malbede where they came into conflict with the Ultramarines Chapter in 936.M41. However, the world proved to be cursed when their fighting awakened the sleeping Necrons from their tomb beneath the surface. In an effort to combat this threat, the T'au and the Ultramarines combined forces to defeat the Necrons. Once the conflict was over, the T'au were allowed to evacuate their forces by Marneus Calgar who proceeded to destroy Malbede through an Exterminatus.[2]
In 666.M41, the T'au fought against the Adeptus Astartes of the Space Wolves Chapter during the Battle of Kvarium Alpha. On that waterlogged world, drop pods landed deep in the oceans where their occupants made a move to engage their enemy. On the surface, the battle was fought between the two sides with an equally deadly conflict erupting in the depths of the sea between the Space Wolves and T'au Battlesuits. Thunderhawk Gunships were used to great effect against Hammerhead tanks and Manta gunships with torpedoes, prop-bombs and missiles being used against the T'au. Ultimately, the Space Wolves proved to be the victor in the conflict where hundreds of T'au and Space Wolf corpses floated to the surface. With their mission complete, the Space Wolves made the long trek back to land across the sea bed.[1]
By late M41, the Third Sphere had ground to a halt due to Imperial counterattacks in the Damocles Gulf. Thus the T'au launched additional Expansion campaigns, including the ill-fated Fourth Sphere, which resulted in a wormhole known as the Startide Nexus. This unforeseen consequence has since allowed for the current Fifth Sphere.[13] Despite the Fifth Sphere still being underway, a Sixth Sphere is still being planned in part due to the significant fighting the Fifth has experienced in the Startide Nexus and Zone of Silence.[19b]
Society
Each race within the T'au Empire has a unique and different society. However, all races have one common belief in the Greater Good. The Greater Good, or Tau'va (Tau), is the founding principle of T'au society. The Tau'va system is based on Castes and is designed to allow for the advancement of the entire T'au society together towards a more successful, prosperous and easier existence in the future.[10a]
T'au
T'au society is centred around the concept of the Greater Good, where individual T'au sacrifice personal gain in favour of benefiting the T'au race as a whole. It is from this philosophy that the T'au's all-purpose motto, "For the Greater Good!", is derived. The castes, although different in role and organisation, work together for the benefit of all T'au: the Earth caste provide and produce, the Water caste communicate and distribute, the Air caste connect the worlds of the T'au Empire, and the Fire caste protect. The external image of the T'au is that they are altruistic and idealistic, believing in the unification of all "for the Greater Good".[23]
Those rare T'au that do not adhere to the tenets of the Greater Good are seen as deviants[23] and can be condemned to a Re-Education Facility.[22a]
Kroot
Kroot society is divided into tribes, known as Kindreds. Each Kindred is an extended family group of Kroot and is led by a Shaper, one Kroot with an intuitive understanding of the DNA absorption process all Kroot possess, and responsible for guiding the evolution of their Kindred. The Shaper, upon identifying a beneficial genetic trait, will instruct his Kindred to hunt and consume that animal, and then control the breeding of the Kindred to ensure that the offspring are born with the selected trait. Often, Kindreds will band together, and the Shapers will form a Council, of which the most influential Kindred's Shaper will be made leader of the group. On rare occasions, a Chief will unite a large number of Kindreds underneath him.[24]
Kroot dwell in warm, temperate conditions on the worlds they inhabit, and construct large tree houses from animal hides, bound together by regurgitated dead wood. Some Kindreds reside in the ruins of the hive cities. There has been no obvious industry on Pech since the coming of the Orks, but T'au Research Teams have detected strange energy emissions, emanating from a collection of hills near their base.[25]
The consumption of flesh is one of the key tenets of Kroot spirituality, as it is believed that the consumption of prey imparts the 'spirit' of the prey to the Kroot, which is then passed on to the Kroot's children. This is the average Kroot's understanding of their rapid evolution, with 'spirit' as a substitute for 'genetic trait'. As a part of this, the Kroot believe that when a warrior dies, his spirit should be kept safe by the Kindred. They will consider it their responsibility to consume the bodies of their dead foes, along with their own fallen and elders.
Vespid (Mal'kor)
The Vespid warriors, called Stingwings, form tactical units referred to as Strains. Each Strain is lead by a Strain leader.[1] Because the Vespid language is so complex (presumably because of their complex mouths) and only the Strain Leaders are given the apparatus to translate their language to their T'au allies, Vespid Strains are very close knit and a lot of reliance on Strain Leaders come from both sides.[1]
Stingwing Strains are highly sought after in T'au Fire Warrior Cadres because of their high level of maneuverability. They are often used by T'au commanders alongside Crisis Battlesuits or used in a scouting role, backing up Pathfinders. In the T'au language they are referred to as "Mal'kor," which comes from "Mal" meaning insect and "kor" meaning air.[17b]
Human (Gue'vesa)
The T'au Empire claims to host a growing population of Humans or Gue'vesa (Tau) who were once a part of the Imperium of Man. Ranging from ideological defectors to captured guardsmen and their children, they have allegedly been incorporated into the empire - a notable example being the 19th Regiment of the Brimlock Dragoons.
It is claimed by the Empire that the Humans are content and treated well, even being allowed to worship the Emperor[15].
Other Races
- The Anthrazods are a sturdy but dim-witted race used by the T'au for asteroid mining.[10k]
- The Boaburi[19a]
- The Brachyura are a small race unparalleled in the construction of Earth Caste Plasma Generators.[10e]
- The Charpactin are used in the Edification Corps.[10j]
- The Demiurg are a mining species that has allied itself with the T'au.[4b] In truth, they are a Prospect of the Leagues of Votann, who have been misunderstood as a unique species by the Imperium and T'au alike.[21]
- The Domati are auxiliary allies who use Wyrmships.[17a]
- The Formosians joined the empire in 896.M40.[10f]
- The Galg are tentacled creatures that often form into mercenary bands which often fight for the T'au.[5]
- The Greet are an invertebrate species from the Ocean World of Isla'su.[10h]
- The G’nosh are used as cargo-haulers.[12b]
- The Hrenian are auxiliaries that employ Light Infantry to the T'au.[8]
- The Jagordian[19a]
- The Ji'atrix are ethereal aliens skilled in void-faring.[7]
- The Morralian are auxiliaries that employ Deathsworn to the T'au.[8]
- The M'uh'ja[19a]
- The Nagi are small but highly intelligent worms known for their mind control abilities.[10i]
- The Nicassar are a highly psychic race and were allegedly the first alien species successfully assimilated into the T'au Empire[4a] (as were the Poctroon).
- The Ostense Council have worked for the T'au as mercenaries.[18]
- The Poctroon were allegedly the first race to join the Empire (as were the Nicassar), but were wiped out by disease.[10f]
- The Pohu-Agg[19a]
- The Phosiab[19a]
- The Ranghon are a race which has bowed before the Empire.[9b]
- The Tarellian are dog-like aliens who often work as mercenaries for the T'au.[6]
- The Thraxians are chitin-covered multi-armed close melee fighters.[9a][12c]
- The Vorgh[19a]
- The Yabi-Yabi are a space-bound species.[12b]
Military
T'au ground warfare is carried out almost exclusively by the Fire caste, with its Supreme Command being the Shas'ar'tol[10g]. The Air caste is responsible for aerial and space combat, and providing transport between systems. The basic Fire Caste military unit is known as a Cadre, or Kau'ui[12a], similar in size and role to an Imperial Guard Company, and is primarily made up of T'au from the same sept. Auxiliaries are drawn from the alien races within the T'au Empire, and can include Kroot warriors, Vespid Stingwings, and Gue'vesa, among other forces.[12a]
The most commonly-fielded Cadre is a combined-arms formation (made up of multiple Teams, or La'rua), though more specialised Cadres exist such as a Battlesuit Retaliation Cadre and a Pathfinder Infiltration Cadre. Three to six Cadres will often fight together as part of a Contingent, or Tio've similar to an Imperial Guard Regiment and commanded by the most senior Cadre commander. Three to six Contingents may be grouped together into a Battle (also known as a Commune or Kavaal), though this is only a temporary formation. All Fire Caste forces in a given location, whether a planet or star system, is grouped into a Command (or Uash'o) under the leadership of a High Commander, with the four Commands (Fire, Earth, Water and Air) grouped into a Coalition (or Shan'al) under the command of the local Ethereals.[12a]
The T'au prefer long-ranged combat over close-quarters fighting, and use the speed and agility of their anti-gravity vehicles to fight a war of manoeuvrability. Pinpoint destruction is favoured over massive barrages, hence the preponderance of laser-guided missiles as artillery. The destruction of the enemy's forces is considered more important than the capture of territory, and the T'au will willingly give ground in order to achieve a more advantageous position. Battle plans are complex affairs, with each Cadre given specific targets and launch times, and if the initiative is lost the T'au will fall back to plan a new strategy. The T'au military has neither the inclination nor the numbers to fight a war of attrition, and so must choose its battles carefully.[27]
The idea of a static defence is foreign to the T'au's military philosophy. If forced to defend a location, the T'au will still use offensive manoeuvres in order to keep the enemy off-balanced while important assets are removed. Bunkers and other defensive emplacements can be constructed, primarily to defend against long-range bombardment, but as a rule T'au cities are rarely fortified, and will often be evacuated in the face of an enemy attack.[27]
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See also
Sources
- 1: Planetstrike, pg. 56
- 2: Warhammer 40,000 4th Edition Rulebook, pg. 128
- 3: Codex: Tyranids (5th Edition), pgs. 18-21
- 4: To Unite the Stars: Tau Vessels, Battlefleet Gothic Resources:
- 5: Kill Team (Novel), Chapter Six
- 6: Warhammer 40,000 3rd Edition Rulebook, pg. 116
- 7: Deathwatch: The Achilus Assault, pg. 130
- 8: Apocalypse, pg. 157
- 9: Warhammer 40,000 6th Edition Rulebook:
- 10: Codex: Tau Empire (6th Edition):
- 11: Codex: Tyranids (5th Edition), pgs. 18-21
- 12: Codex: Tau Empire (7th Edition):
- 13: Warhammer 40,000 8th Edition Rulebook, pg. 134
- 14: Codex: T'au Empire (8th Edition)
- 14a: pg. 6
- 15: Courage and Honour (Novel),
[Help] - 16: Xenology (Background Book), pgs. 49-50
- 17: Farsight: Crisis of Faith (Novel):
- 18: War of Secrets (Novel), Chapter Seventeen
- 19: Codex: T'au Empire (9th Edition):
- 20: The Art of Warhammer 40,000, pg. 201
- 21: Warhammer Community: Lore of the Votann – Ancient Quasi-divine Machine Intellects Make for Decent Gunsmiths, it Turns Out (posted 20/5/2022) (last accessed 20 May 2022)
- 22: Elemental Council (Novel):
- 23: Codex: T'au Empire (10th Edition), pg. 10
- 24: Deathwatch: Mark of the Xenos, pg. 16
- 25: White Dwarf 264 (UK), pgs. 94-98
- 26: Codex: Black Templars (4th Edition), pg. 63
- 27: Codex: Tau Empire (4th Edition) - pg. 12-14
Uncited
 |
- Codex: Tau Empire (4th Edition), pg. 42 (Aun'va's declaration of the Third Sphere)
- Warhammer 40,000 5th Edition Rulebook, pg. 129
- Codex: Space Marines (5th Edition), pg. 48
- Planetstrike, pg. 57
- Kill Team (Novel), [Help], pg. 137
- Imperial Armour Volume Three - The Taros Campaign, [Help]
- Codex: Tau (3rd Edition)
| Castes | |
|---|---|
| Allied Races |
Anthrazod • Boaburi • Brachyura • Charpactin • Demiurg • Domati • Formosian • G’nosh • Galg • Greet • Humans • Hrenian • Jagordian • Ji'atrix • Kroot • Morralian • M'uh'ja • Nagi • Nicassar • Ostense Council • Phosiab • Pohu-Agg • Ranghon • Tarellians • Thraxians • Vespid • Vorgh • Yabi-Yabi |
| Military |
Fire Warriors • Kor'vattra • Merchant Fleet • Auxiliaries • Information Awareness |
| Culture | |
| Notable Characters |
Aun'Va • Aun'shi • O'Shaserra • O'Shovah • Puretide • El'Myamoto • T'au Sha'ng |
